As I open a fresh copy of the Star Tribune newspaper, the smell of ink wafts into my nostrils. The paper is still crisp, without the slightest crumple. I scan the front page stories, then flip to the real treasure: the Variety section, with a brand new, unadulterated grid of black and white squares, the New York Times crossword puzzle.

After laying my hands on the holy grail of trivia and reasoning, I spend any free time during the day attempting to decode the mysteries within. The farthest recesses of my memory are plundered for answers. Who wrote “A Confederacy of Dunces”? What is the capital of Uganda? The answers, which gradually materialize out of a skeleton of assorted letters, are always just out of reach.

Even more frustrating are the wordplay clues. Consider, for example, the clue “tear.” It could refer to the action of ripping a piece of paper, as I am often inclined to do with the very puzzle containing the clue. It could also refer to a droplet of water from the eye, which certain crosswords sometimes bring me close to shedding. The uncertainty of these clues makes the quest to fill in each square that much more compelling.

Crosswords may seem like a frivolous game, akin to a word search or a jumble, but it is far more. A combination of random facts and obscure vocabulary, crosswords are the ultimate test of memory and perseverance. In an age when virtually all information is only a Google search away, crosswords allow puzzlers to hearken back to a simpler time when mental storage of information was far more valuable.

No matter what puzzle, game, or obstacle one faces, the fun and value is in the difficulty. When games are too easy, they lose their excitement. By pushing oneself to one’s limits and overcoming a challenging obstacle, one can learn important skills of perseverance and success under pressure.

There is nothing quite like the rush I feel when some cryptic clue, which had left me completely stymied, finally falls into place. When the final box has been filled with the last elusive letter, I feel an absolute satisfaction…until tomorrow, when I start the crossword anew.